UNITED KINGDOM

The 23 year old Olympic gold medalist and Towson native Michael Phelps apologized for regrettable behavior after a photo of him smoking a marijuana pip

London was immobilized Monday by the biggest snow storm to hit the city in 18 years, according to the Britain's Meteorological Office.

Swimmer Michael Phelps, who has won more gold medals than anyone in Olympic history, admitted on Sunday that he had engaged in regrettable and inappropriate behavior after a photo of him smoking marijuana was published in a British tabloid over the weekend.

A new book highlights the effects on consumerism on children and raises questions and objections to research firms which recruit kids to test products, and to sell them in return for incentives.

This is year EA plans to publish three flavored options for Need for Speed games. Need for Speed SHIFT, Need for Speed NITRO and Need for Speed World Online, respectively are scheduled for release during 2009, with the latest debuting in winter.

Bonus payments on Wall St. have become controversial in the midst of an economic crisis with a top level executive today saying that they are reasonable but need changes to ensure the long-term interests of the business.

Overall, the dollar continues to strengthen overnight. The only exception among the majors is the pound, which rose after some very good economic reports coming from the U.K. Ahead, the market is likely to become very volatile, especially during the U.S. open, when some important releases are scheduled.

On Thursday Somali pirates hijacked a tanker and its crew of 12 Filipinos and one Indonesian in the Gulf of Aden, a diplomat said.

Endless cocktails, wine and dessert. Private in-suite dinners. Couples massages. Pillow menus and plush bedding. Ballroom dancing classes. These are just some of the posh perks that Silversea Cruises offers. Most upscale cruise lines have always offered unforgettable experiences – for example, you can often wine and dine to your heart's content in fabulous restaurants, and, unlike real life, nev...

The pound rose for a third day against the dollar and climbed versus the euro as Citigroup Inc. recommended buying Lloyds Banking Group Plc shares

Millions of online job seekers in Britain have become victims of crime as many have their personal details stolen by online hackers.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Switzerland Tuesday for an official visit which also includes participation at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

21st-century Britain is bursting with contemporary culture yet steeped in thousands of years of history. With celebrations and festivals happening throughout the year, Britain is vibrant and inspirational and entertains and charms visitors time after time. Full of exhilarating urban experiences contrasted with the tranquility of quaint villages, no matter where you are you can discover the rich he...

USD : On the US front this week it all starts with Existing Home Sales data for the month of December. On Tuesday we see the release of Consumer Confidence data. The

The U.K. unveiled a 2.3 billion pounds ($3.2 billion)in credit founding to its troubled auto industry to help it become greener, innovative and more productive.

Amid an unprecedented global economic crisis, The World Economic Forum 2009 taking place in Davos, Switzerland kicks off from Jan 28 to February 1, as thousands of key economic figures come together to discuss and find ways to stabilize and relaunch the global economy.

Britain's Prince Harry has split with his girlfriend Chelsy Davy after a five-year relationship, British media reported Saturday.

Toyota Motor Corp, now the biggest automaker in the world, may cut its vehicle production in Japan about 60 percent in the month of April due to slumping demand for cars, reported Reuters quoting the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper.

One thing you can probably get 99% of economists to agree on is that a global trade war in the middle of a global recession is a bad idea. If every country increases import tariffs, hoping to protect its domestic industry from foreign competition, global trade will fall in all directions, hurting everybody. Put another way, increased tariffs are a negative-sum game.

Look for countries with strong middle-class growth -- say, China or Brazil. Stick mainly to housing and retail. Focus on the long term. And don't attempt to do it without a local partner.